- Download our Moving to London Guide (PDF)
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The United Kingdom is home to the National Health Service (NHS), widely praised as one of the world's best public healthcare systems. The NHS is complemented by a wide range of excellent public hospitals, so expats moving to London need not worry about finding adequate care.
Not all expats will be immediately eligible to use the NHS, however, and some may have to pay a visa surcharge. Once the surcharge is paid, the visa holder is able to receive free or heavily subsidised healthcare. To find out more about this and how it affects their individual situation, expats should visit the UK government website.
While the quality of care in public and private hospitals is on par, the NHS is notorious for its long waiting times, and comprehensive dental treatment isn't covered. To bypass this, some expats prefer to use private healthcare. This can be expensive, though, so expats are advised to invest in a comprehensive health insurance policy to ensure that costs are covered.
Below is a list of some of London's top public and private hospitals.
Public hospitals in London
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital
Website: www.chelwest.nhs.uk
Address: 369 Fulham Road, Chelsea, London SW10 9NH
Guy's Hospital
Website: www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk
Address: Great Maze Pond, London SE1 9RT
King's College Hospital
Website: www.kch.nhs.uk
Address: Denmark Hill, Brixton, London SE5 9RS
Royal Brompton Hospital
Website: www.rbht.nhs.uk
Address: Sydney Street, Chelsea, London SW3 6NP
St Bartholemew's Hospital
Website: www.bartshealth.nhs.uk
Address: West Smithfield, London EC1A 7BE
Private hospitals in London
Cromwell Hospital
Website: www.cromwellhospital.com
Address: 164–178 Cromwell Road, London SW5 0TU
King Edward VII's Hospital
Website: www.kingedwardvii.co.uk
Address: 5–10 Beaumont Street, Marylebone, London W1G 6AA
Highgate Private Hospital
Website: www.highgatehospital.co.uk
Address: 17–19 View Road, Highgate, London N6 4DJ
London Bridge Hospital
Website: www.londonbridgehospital.com
Address: 27 Tooley Street, London SE1 2PR
The Princess Grace Hospital
Website: www.theprincessgracehospital.co.uk
Address: 42–52 Nottingham Place, Marylebone, London W1U 5NY
Further reading
► For a more comprehensive overview of the country's healthcare system read the Healthcare in the United Kingdom page
Are you an expat living in London?
Expat Arrivals is looking for locals to contribute to this guide, and answer forum questions from others planning their move to London. Please contact us if you'd like to contribute.
Expat Health Insurance
Cigna Global Health Insurance.
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